Renting a Car for Trips Close to Home

By Tim Vandehey

We think of car rental as something useful only when we travel to a distant city and need transportation, but if you do that, you’re missing out on a great local travel option: renting a vehicle for special local needs.

Rent for Size, Terrain or Comfort

Fact is, you can get some great deals on rental cars that will make nearby travel to mountains or beaches—or travel with big groups or in bad weather—safer, more comfortable, and more fun. When you can get a brand-new Ford Explorer for $39 a day with unlimited mileage to take to the snow-bound Sierras, why would you make the trip in a Camry? In any sort of travel, a little extra ease and convenience is well worth a little extra money.

I’ve become a devotee of the specialty local rental. I’ve rented minivans to shuttle family around during the holidays, and I rented an SUV for a trip to Lake Tahoe in January, when the region was buried in new snowfall. As it turned out, the vehicle’s space, heft and low-torque four-wheel drive made it the official workhorse car of the trip, saving everyone the headaches of putting on tire chains, and made us all feel much safer. I’ve even rented a van for a 2,000 mile drive to the Midwest. Why put the punishing miles on your own car when you can do that?

What to Look For

Always, always get unlimited mileage. No matter how much you think you’ll drive, you’ll drive more. Unlimited mileage frees you from worrying about rationing your miles, and prevents nasty bills at the end of the trip.

Second, make sure you rent from a company that has a pickup point close to your home. If you have to drive two hours to get a rental car, what’s the point? Make sure to do a thorough inspection of the vehicle, and read the restrictions carefully before you hand over your credit card number. Some rental companies expressly forbid their vehicles to be taken off road; if you’re renting an SUV for some cliff-hopping, you best be aware of this beforehand and prepare to pay for paint and undercarriage dings.

Most important, rent what you need. That’s the reason to do it in the first place. If you need extra space for luggage or big passengers, grab a van. If you need 4X4 power and towing capacity, rent an SUV. If you want to take special guests somewhere in comfort, get your hands on a Lincoln Town Car. Customize your rental to your needs.

Where to Rent

As with most things travel these days, the Internet is a gold mine of great deals. You can find special offers on all the major rental company Web sites, but here are the two places I’ve found the best deals:

• Hotwire - The king of travel sites and a great place to find cheap rental cars. You won’t find out the rental company until you pay, but it’s usually Budget. I’ve used Hotwire for most of my local rentals and never had a problem.
• Priceline - The famous “name your own price” site gives you the chance to bid on your rental rate, which can be cool, as long as you’re prepared to pay what you bid. Once your bid is found, the rate is locked in.